Free Walking Tour of San Francisco

9.40 / 10

3,673 reviews | 42,697 travellers

We loved it, we learned a lot of history.

 10 Paulina Maria

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Dragon Gate, the entrance to San Francisco's Chinatown

Exploring San Francisco on a free walking tour

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We loved it, we learned a lot of history.

  Paulina Maria

Discover the best of San Francisco's history, culture and architecture on this guided walking tour of the Californian city.

Description

Discover the best of San Francisco's history, culture and architecture on this guided walking tour of the Californian city.

San Francisco Free Walking Tour

At the scheduled time, we'll meet on Post Street to start our tour at San Francisco's most important public plaza: Union Square. Located in the heart of the city center, the square is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike and has played host to concerts, protests and other public events throughout its history.

Stroll through the streets surrounding Union Square in the direction of Maiden Lane, one of San Francisco's best-known shopping streets. The high-end boutiques and art galleries that line the pedestrianized mall make it a popular spot for retail therapy in the city.

Continuing on your free walking tour, you'll soon reach Dragon Gate, the emblematic archway marking the beginning of San Francisco's Chinatown. The colorful façades of the temples, stores and restaurants with their Chinese lanterns and Mandarin and Cantonese signs give the impression that you've entered an Asian city - without leaving the USA! Did you know that San Francisco Chinatown is the second-largest Chinese enclave in the United States? You'll have the opportunity to visit a local fortune cookie shop to learn more about the culture here.

As we finish up the tour we'll leave Chinatown behind and head into the Financial District. We'll discover the contrast of buildings like the marble-clad former Pacific Stock Exchange with contemporary skyscrapers such as the Transamerica Pyramid, a futuristic building that's one of the most characteristic structures in San Francisco.

Weekends and Public Holidays

Please note that on weekends and public holidays, the free walking tour of San Francisco will finish at the pier.

Groups

It is not possible to book this tour for groups larger than 6 people. If you're a bigger group, please reserve a Private Tour of San Francisco instead.

Other San Francisco Free Tours

If you feel like exploring other areas of the city in depth, we recommend checking out The Castro & Mission District Free Tour or the Chinatown & Little Italy Free Night Tour

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Details
More Information

Duration

2h 30m.

Language

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English.

Included

English speaking guide.

Not included

Tips

When to book?

You can book up until 30 minutes before the activity as long as there are still places. Book now to guarantee your spot.

Type of voucher

Electronic. Show the voucher on your phone.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible.
Sustainability
All services published on Civitatis are carried out in accordance with our Sustainability Code.

Sustainability Code

Our providers commit to:

Provide a safe and satisfying experience.

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Incorporate eco-conscious technologies.

Uphold fair employment standards.

Foster the growth of local communities.

Preserve the integrity of local culture.

Safeguard both cultural and environmental heritage.

Ensure ethical treatment of animals.

Operate with honesty and transparency.

Encourage sustainable behaviors among customers and staff.

This particular activity contributes as follows:

Printed material is avoided.

No single-use plastics are used.

The activity helps the dissemination of local cultural heritage.

The activity helps to promote peace.

No printing of documentation required.

Promotes local employment.

Has a gender equality policy.

Has a carbon footprint offset policy.
Pets

Permitted.
Frequently asked questions
Q - Why do this activity with Civitatis?

A - At Civitatis we guarantee the best quality and prices, click here if you want to know how we select our activities.

Q - How to book?

A - To reserve the activity, choose the date and complete the form on this page. You will receive your confirmation immediately.

Q - Is a minimum number of participants required?

A - This activity requires a minimum of 5 participants. Should this number not be reached, we'll get in touch with you to offer alternatives.

Q - Which local supplier will be providing the tour?

A - Free Sf Tour Corporate name: Filip Lazarevski DBA Free SF Tour Registered Office: 1390 Market St, Apt 2724, San Francisco, The United States Tax Identification Number (VAT ID): 870968322 Contact information Email: Info@freesftour.com Phone: 415-503-7199

If you have any other questions please contact us.
Cancellations

Free cancellation
If you are not able to attend the tour, please cancel your reservation, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Meeting point

Meeting point

389 Post Street

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Reviews
Our customers' reviews
These are genuine reviews written by our customers.

5 out of 3,673 reviews

9.4 / 10

 9.385744622924 3,673 reviews | 42,697 travellers

273 traveler-submitted photos
 10

May / 28 / 2025

S

Sebastián

Jerez De La Frontera, Spain

El Tour por el centro de la ciudad de San Francisco fue extraordinario. Conocimos un poco de la historia del los comienzos la ciudad, el guía, perdón por no recordar su nombre, excelente transmitía con emoción y amabilidad sus conocimientos sobre la ciudad. Hemos quedado encantados. GRACIAS Translate this opinion into English.

The tour of downtown San Francisco was extraordinary. We learned a bit about the city's early history. The guide—sorry I can't remember your name—was excellent. He conveyed his knowledge of the city with emotion and kindness. We were delighted. THANK YOU. Opinion translated. Show original.

I travelled with my partner

 10

May / 21 / 2025

S

Susanna Giunti

Genova, Italy

Philip è stata una guida perfetta...competente, chiaro e...molto simpatico. Ci ha parlato in modo accurato della storia di San Francisco, ci ha portato in luoghi che si trovano fuori dai soliti percorsi. Apprezzata anche la visita alla fabbrica dei biscotti della fortuna ...davvero bravo!!

4

I travelled with my partner

 10

May / 20 / 2025

L

Lola

Granada, Spain

El tour a pie de San Francisco con José, nuestro guía, ha sido una experiencia fantástica. José es un guía apasionado y conocedor de la ciudad, que compartió bonitas historias y datos interesantes sobre la historia y la cultura de San Francisco. Altamente recomendado!!!! Translate this opinion into English.

The walking tour of San Francisco with José, our guide, was a fantastic experience. José is a passionate and knowledgeable guide who shared wonderful stories and interesting facts about San Francisco's history and culture. Highly recommended! Opinion translated. Show original.

I travelled with teenagers

 10

May / 02 / 2025

J

Juan Tapia

Cdmx, Mexico

Buena. Como sugerencia, sería bueno que el guía ocupe micrófono porque hay tramos donde era difícil de escuchar por el ruido natural de la ciudad. Sería útil que ocupara una tablet, como el resto de guías, para ilustrar sus historias o notas. Buenas recomendaciones e historias, vivencias reales que te sirven mucho como turista. Tomé el tour en español. Es una excelente opción para los que no hablamos fluido el idioma inglés. Translate this opinion into English.

Good. As a suggestion, it would be nice if the guide used a microphone because there were sections where it was difficult to hear due to the natural noise of the city. It would be helpful if he had a tablet, like the other guides, to illustrate his stories or take notes. Good recommendations and stories, real experiences that are very useful as a tourist. I took the tour in Spanish. It's an excellent option for those of us who aren't fluent in English. Opinion translated. Show original.

I travelled by myself

 8

Apr / 18 / 2025

A

Anonymous

Madrid, Spain

No llevaba altavoz y al ser muchos no se la escuchaba. Me ha parecido poco recorrido. Maria se ha esforzado mucho en tener al grupo unido y contar en puntos estratégicos cada lugar. Del distrito financiero no ha contado nada. Dispuesta a contestar dudas. Gracias Translate this opinion into English.

She wasn't using a speakerphone, and since there were so many people, she couldn't be heard. I thought it was a short walk. Maria worked hard to keep the group united and to cover each location from strategic points. She didn't mention anything about the financial district. She's happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Opinion translated. Show original.

I travelled with teenagers

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